Can.



No. 766,542. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. J. E. STATE.

CAN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16. 1003.

N0 MODEL.

Afiesi: fizvenfar:

Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. STATE, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,542, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed Maren 16, 1903. Serial No. 147,942. (No model.)

T0 (t7/ It'll/0m, it Til/my (2070012771 Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. STATE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of East St. Louis. county of St. Clair, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cans, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cans, and has for its principal objects to facilitate the opening of the hermetically-sealed can and to render the top thereof separable and serviceable for use as a removable cover.

My invention consists principally in a rim of aluminium or similar substance interposed between the upper edge of the can-body and the flange of the top and a band soldered to said body and flange. It also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure I is a vertical view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a can embodying my invention. Fig. 11 is a similar view showing a modification. Fig. III. is a detail top view showing the meeting ends of the soldering-band. Fig. IV is a vertical view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the top of Fig. II inverted. Fig. V is a horizontal view showing the soldering-tongue partially wound about the key. Fig. V1 is a detail view of the aluminium plate.

The body 1 of the can is beaded near the top edge to form a shoulder upon the inside of the can and a corresponding groove .2 on the outside thereof. The extreme top edge is inclined inwardly to a slight eXtent,and over this inclined edge 3 is doubled athin strip or ring it, of aluminium or other substance to which solder will not adhere. The top 5 is formed with a flange 6 of proper size to fit over the inclined surface of the aluminium strip, whereby a tight joint will be formed between said strip and said flange when pressure is applied to the top, and the outer edge of the aluminium strip is arranged to lie practically flush with the surfaces of the flange and of the body. Around the aluminium strip is a band 7, of

metal, which overlaps and is soldered to the adjacent portions of the body and of the top flange. The lower edge of this band extends slightly below the top edge of the groove in the can-body in order that the groove may form a gutter for the solder, and in like manner the upper edge is substantiallyflush with the surface of the top, the rim or angle of the top being beveled or rounded slightly to form a gutter for the solder.

Near one end the band-strip has a small countersunk surface, through which extends a hole 8. The opposite end of the band-strip has two offsets 9 10, and the end portion 11 is reduced sufficiently to pass through said hole. The band is formed by bending the strip and drawing its reduced end through the hole until the offset shoulder bears against the opposite end of the strip, when said reduced end is bent back in said countersunk portion to form a retaining-hook. A small plate of aluminium 12, notched at one end, is then inserted between the overlapping end portions of said band with its forked end straddling the hook portion of the band. Said plate is then turned so as to bring its end against the shoulder formed by the second offset 10.

In operation the aluminium strip is mounted on the can-body, then the lid is forced through the soldering-ring, and the can-body, with the aluminium strip thereon,is forced into said rim until the edge of the top flange jams tight over the inclined surface of the aluminium strip. In this position there is an annular space between the upper edge of the ring and the rounded corner of the lid, and there is also an annular open space between the lower edge of the ring and the grooved surface of the can-body. This annular open space greatly facilitates the operation of soldering. In the operation of soldering the lid-flange and the can-body are each soldered to the soldering-ring; but as the solder does not adhere to the aluminium strip which intervenes between the can-body and the top flange said can-body and top flange are not soldered directly together. After the solder has been applied the hook at the end of the strip which forms the soldering-ring is cut. As the end of the strip was protected by the aluminium plate during the operation of soldering, it remains free and constitutes a loose tongue. The end of this tongue is inserted 1n the key 18, which consists, preferably, of a strip of wire of semicircular section doubled and bent into the form of a T. The key is then turned so as to wind the free tongue of the soldering-strip band around it. The key is then forced down transversely of said tongue so that its top lies practically flush with the top of the can. In order to open the can, it is only necessary to raise the handle of the key into convenient position for manipulation and then turn it, whereby the solderingring is wound around said key. The soldering-ring is thus stripped both from the top flange and from the can-body, and as the two are not soldered together the top is removed from the body without injury to either.

As the can-top is removed without injury, it is desirable to fit it up for use as a removable cover. For this purpose the top has an annular rib or shoulder 14 formed on its upper side close to its margin of such size as to fit loosely into the body of the can when the top is inverted. This shoulder is preferably formed by a narrow bead or rib. The under side of the top has soldered thereto near its center a T-shaped'piece 16, arranged to constitute a handle for said top when the top is used in its inverted position.

Obviously divers changes may be made in the construction hereinbefore described, and I do not wish to restrict myself to said construction.

The aluminium plate interposed between the overlapping ends of the soldering-band may have an identification number or mark thereon, in which case the hook of the tongue is cut ofl so as to leave a portion thereof overhanging the plate, whereby the plate is held in place until the soldering-band is wound off of it. In other cases the aluminium plate may be removed as soon as the soldering is effected. Obviously other material than aluminium may be used, provided it will withstand the soldering operation without the soldering adhering thereto.

What I claim is- 1. A can comprising a body, a top therefor, a strip of aluminium interposed between said body and said top, the lower edge of said top resting upon said aluminium strip, and a band soldered to both the body and the top.

2. A can comprising a body, a top therefor, a strip of aluminium doubled over the upper edge of the body and a band soldered to both the body and the top.

3. A can comprisinga body having its upper margin inclined inwardly, a strip of aluminium doubled over the edge of said inclined portion, a top having a flange fitting over said strip, and a band soldered to both the body and the flange.

4. A can comprising a body having its upper margin inclined inwardly, a top therefor,

a strip of aluminium upon said inclined margin interposed between said body and said top, and a band soldered to both the body and the top, said top having on its upper side a marginal shoulder adapted to enter said body.

'5. A can comprising a body having a circumferential groove near its upper end and its upper margin inclined inwardly, a top therefor, a strip of aluminium upon said inclined margin interposed between said body and said top, and a band soldered to both said body and said top with its lower edge opposite said groove.

6. A can comprising a body having a circumferential groove near its upperend, and a top therefor having a flange, the angle formed by said top and its flange being rounded, a strip of aluminium interposed between said body and said flange, the lower edge of said flange resting upon said aluminium strip, and a band soldered to both said body and said flange, the upper edge of said strip being opposite said rounded angle and the lower edge being opposite said groove.

7. A can-soldering band having a hole near one end and having the other end arranged to engage said hole, and having two offsets near said last-mentioned end.

8. A can-soldering band having a countersunk portion near one end and a hole in said countersunk portion and having its other end arranged to engage said hole, and having two offsets near said last-mentioned end.

9. A can-soldering ring comprising a band having a hole near one end and two offsets near its other end, said last-mentioned end being arranged to engage said hole, and an aluminium plate intervening between the overlapping portions of said band.

10. A can-soldering ring comprising a band having a hole near one end and two ofifsets near its other end, said last-mentioned end being arranged to engage said hole, and an aluminium plate notched at one end, said aluminium plate being interposed between said overlapping portions of the band and having its notched. ends straddling the hook portion of said band.

11. A can comprising a body, a top therefor, a strip of aluminium interposed between them and a band soldered to the body and the top, and having an unsoldered tongue at its end.

12. A can comprising a body, a top therefor, a strip of aluminium interposed between them, a band soldered to the body and the top and having an unsoldered tongue at its end, and a removable identification-plate interposed between said tongue and the opposite end of said band.

JOSEPH E. STATE. 

